"Woe to me if I preach not the gospel."

Pantheism is the idea that god is in everything and everything is god. It holds that the ultimate goal of life is to recognize your oneness with the universe.

While it is typically associated with the Eastern world, it has become rather popular in America since the 1960's and 70's.

You can often find the pantheistic worldview in Hollywood productions. The classic example may be found in George Lucas' Star Wars movies.

These films detail a “force” that exists in nature that can be manipulated and “tapped into.” Essentially, these movies express that you are one with the energy that exists in the universe.

Another Hollywood example is the Disney movie The Lion King and its soundtrack hit The Circle of Life, by Elton John. These both seek to emphasize the unity of all things. The focus is overtly centered on nature and its deeper spiritual composition.One summed up the the pantheistic overtone of Elton John's song by saying it is about “Being born, living from the bounty of the earth, working and looking after the earth - and upon your demise, returning to the earth to enrich the soil for the next generation that have to learn, live, and give.”[1]

One can also see an overt pantheistic theme in the recent box office hit Avatar.

The pantheistic worldview is not limited to the realm of Hollywood though. In recent years there has been an increase in the practice of yoga. Even Christian organizations advertise Christian yoga seminars. What many do not know is that yoga is a pantheistic practice.Yoga rose out of Eastern religions and was originally designed to assist with the process of uniting with the One. The gestures and emphasis on clearing of the mind were all means of advancing towards Nirvana.

To be sure, there is nothing wrong with stretching or twisting yourself up like a pretzel. What is important to understand is that yoga has a distinct spirituality at its base that is opposed to Christian thought. I had a similar experience when my wife was pregnant with our first child. We decided to take a few Lamaze classes prior to the birth. What we found was that our instructor sought to have us escape reality through relaxation techniques. This was essentially the same thing found in yoga.

Another realm in which pantheistic thought is found is the environmentalism movement of the last 40-50 years. Much of what goes on in the name of environmental activism is the result of people thinking nature is too holy to touch or mess with. Nature is essentially deified (we even talk about Mother Nature). Some extremists may even go so far as to say that any tampering with nature is perceived as an attack on the life-force that is in nature. Of course, not all environmental activists would go so far. Yet, though they tout a much more mild tone, their premise is the same. Nature becomes an idol, and it “leads to a…withdrawal from any meaningful tasks in subduing the created world for God and the material benefit of man.”[3]

Take, for instance, the global warming issue of recent years. The basic premise of global warming activism is that we must cease our cultivation of the world’s resources and do away with technological advancements in the name of saving the earth. This is profoundly earth worship.

The influence of this movement has been profound. Environmental issues are typically routine topics for debate in public policy. As well, it is not uncommon for elementary school children to sing songs in the praise of nature. It may seem harmless to parents, but it is a form of earth worship.

All of these serve as just a few examples of how prevalent pantheism is in our culture. God willing, we will have eyes to discern the many other places this false religion expresses itself.